Sales begin on Wednesday

Tickets for Liga NOS matchday 26, between Estoril Praia and Sporting Clube de Portugal, will go on sale at the Estádio José Alvalade ticket offices (from 10h to 20h) as follows:

WEDNESDAY | Club Members with a 2015/2016 Gamebox and February 2016 fees paid
THURSDAY | Club Members with February 2016 fees paid
FRIDAY | General public

Kick off is scheduled for 18h30 on Saturday the 12th of Match, in Estádio António Coimbra da Mota. Tickets available in Alvalade are for the North Goal End are priced at €12 each.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota ticket offices as follows:

WEDNESDAY | from 14h30 to 18h30
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY | from 10h to 13h and from 14h30 to 18h30
MATCHDAY | from 10h

Tickets on sale in Estoril are priced at €15 each (for the West or East Lateral Stand) or €25 (for the West Central Stand). All spectators must be at least 3 years of age and require a ticket.

Bruno Jesus named for Ledman LigaPro matchday 34

Bruno Jesus, 33, from the Lisbon Football Association, has been named to take charge of Sporting B's trip to Atlético, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 34.

António Franco and Cláudio Correia will act as linesmen.

This will be Jesus' second time in charge of the team from Alvalade this season, following the trip to Famalicão on matchday 13. 

Atlético-Sporting CP B will get underway at 15h00 on Wednesday the 9th of March, in Estádio da Tapadinha.

Rui Patrício on Saturday's loss to Benfica

Speaking with the press at the final whistle on Saturday night, Rui Patrício put his side's loss down to a lack of effectiveness in front of goal.

"Benfica scored from the only chance they had, but football can be like that. I think we played really well and we had a lot of chances that we didn't make the most of. That was the only difference", commented the Alvalade keeper at the final whistle, before guaranteeing that the league is still far from decided: "There are still a lot of games to play. We will fight to the end and this result honesty doesn't' change anything."

Jorge Jesus comments on Saturday's loss to Benfica

Speaking with the press at the final whistle on Saturday night, Jorge Jesus considered the final result to be far from a fair reflection of what happened on the pitch.

"Benfica left here today without knowing how they won. Even a draw would have been bad for Sporting after what happened out there tonight, but losing is worse. Football can be like this sometimes and all that really matters is who won. I really want to give credit to my players, because I thought they were brilliant and absolutely dominated Benfica in the second-half", opened the Alvalade boss, adding: "Benfica scored, but Rui Patrício didn't have to make a single save all night. Benfica didn't even create a single chance and we managed to pull off some impossible misses.

"Despite the result, Sporting showed that we are a lot stronger. Sometimes even teams who play like small clubs win", Jesus went on to add, before reaffirming that the title race is still on: "We have lost first place before and got it back. The lads know that we are capable going top of the table again and that is what we will try and do."

Sporting miss out to Benfica after missing a wealth of chances

Sporting CP fell to a first Liga NOS home defeat of this season this weekend, missing out 1-0 to Benfica. Once again the evening's encounter proved to be the confirmation of Jorge Jesus' side's difficulty in breaking down teams who are happy to sit back and break up play with constant interruptions.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, particularly in the middle, with neither side willing to stray too far forward and both defensive lines standing firm. In fact, it was a slice of bad luck that sentenced the finally result, when a blocked shot from Samaris somehow landed at the feet of Mitroglou to give the Greek a one-on-one chance against Rui Patrício that the Sporting shotstopper could do little to stop.

While Benfica had seemed content to play on the counter-attack, the visitors' intentions to sit deep and sap away time became all the more clearer after the goal. Denied space down the middle, Sporting resorted to use of the flanks and began piling crosses into the box, but to little success. The only chance that looked likely to find th back of the net was a blistering effort from Jefferson from outside of the box, only stopped by Éderson's crossbar.

Sporting looked a totally different side after the break, pushing higher up the pitch and pegging Benfica back into their defensive third. On 61 minutes Bryan Ruiz failed to finish a great move down the right and Slimani was only able to force one of many corners form the rebound. A few minutes later, Ruiz managed to turn what looked to be a certain tap in from a couple of yards over the cross bar.

Benfica made the most of Sporting's failure to equalise with some frustrating play, using virtually every individual duel between players as a chance to go down and waste a couple of minutes. Bryan Ruiz came close in the dying stages with an audacious chip and João Mário fired a shot side from range.

The result leaves Sporting in second place, two points behind Benfica.

João de Deus reflects on his side's draw with FC Famalicão

While praising the competitive edge shown by both sides in Sporting B's draw with Familicão this Saturday, João de Deus proved disappointed with the number of chances wasted on goal.

“The result isn't a reflection of what happened. We have three or four really clear chances and we were the better side. There was a clear difference in the individual quality of the players. We should have won, but it finished 0-0 because we wasted opportunities. I don't remember Familicão having a single good chance on goal", said the Sporting B coach, before speaking about the inclusion of senior side regulars Ricardo Esgaio, Matheus Pereira, Paulo Oliveira and Tobias Figueiredo: "The lads who have come in to help bring extra motivation and it ups our game."

Both sides battle for the points but chances on goal were few and far between

Ledman LigaPro matchday 33 between Sporting B and Familicão got off to a well disputed start, with neither side having the opportunity to build a real chance on goal. Sporting enjoyed the lion's share of possession, but a creative spark was missing when moving into the final third. Both defensive lines had obviously done their homework, with some clinical defending denying virtually every move going forward, until Esgaio floated in from the right flank in the 12th minute, but the Sporting B skipper was unable to trouble the Familicão keeper with the following shot. The visitors managed to get a foothold for a period and in the 14th minute Felix Baxinho created their only really notable effort of the half with a move down the right, but Leandro was unable to connect with the resulting cross.

The second-half proved more dynamic and a series of corners followed in the opening minutes, as both teams managed to develop play in their respective opposition halves. Sporting were looking more determined to take a grip of the encounter and Francisco Geraldes managed to pick out Cristian Ponde, but the Sporting number 49's shot was off target. The warning shot had been fired and goals only didn't follow thanks to Emanuel's display in the Familicão goal. After first denying a header from Cristian Ponde following a corner, the visiting keeper made a brilliant save from a stinging shot by Matheus. Down the other end, Stojkovic was only called into action seconds before the final whistle, but Medeiros' chance never really looking threatening.

Jorge Jesus shares his thoughts ahead of the Lisbon derby

This might be the fourth derby of the season, but Jorge Jesus is adamant that his team will be just as motivated as ever as the two Lisbon giants clash this Saturday evening.

“It will be a typical derby: difficult and passionate. I hope everything goes well and that Sporting is up to the standard that we have already shown against Benfica. The fact that we have already won three has given us a trophy, three points in the league and a win that unfortunately doesn't mean much, because we were knocked out of the Portuguese Cup. What matters right now are the three points and the lads are feeling just as confident now as they were in the first derby in the Super Cup", affirmed the Alvalade boss, going on to reject the possibility of the title being decided tomorrow: "Either team winning it doesn't resolve anything. There will still be nine more matches to play and a lot of points up for grabs. If we win tomorrow then it is just another three points."

The Sporting coach continues happy with his squad's performance so far this season. "Sometimes you can't do what you set out to do, but what we set out to do was to get Sporting in the fight for the title and today that is a reality", added Jesus, before closing with a comment on Rui Patrício's new contract: "It is a great bit of news for every Sporting fan. Three symbols of the team have already signed this season. The club has a good policy set out and the players who come through from the Academy are really important for Sporting."

Francisco Geraldes sits down with Sporting TV ahead of the weekend's action

Sporting CP will host FC Famalicão at the Sporting Academy this weekend, in Ledman Liga Pro.

Speaking with Sporting TV in the build-up, Francisco Geraldes praised Familicão for there fantastic league campaign so far, but guaranteed that his side will be looking to claim the three points: "We are expecting a hard game against the team that is currently in third, but that doesn't scare us and we will play for the win like we always do. They have had some good results, but I wouldn't put that down to how they play, because they play pretty much the way they always have. We haven't won for a while, but I am sure that we will go on a good run when we do."

Sporting CP statement regarding Rui Patrício's contract renewal

Sporting SAD has reached an agreement with the athlete Rui Patrício for the renewal of his contract until 2022, with a buy-out clause of 45,000,000.00€.

Sporting SAD wishes Rui Patrício the best of professional and personal success.

Speaking for the first time after penning the new deal, the Alvalade shotstopper proved ecstatic with the prospect of an extended stay at Sporting: "Sporting is my second home. I have been here now for longer than I lived at my parents' house! I feel a lof for this club and this club has helped me grow as a player and a personal. I owe everything I am today to Sporting."